OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Campaign committees get leaders

Meanwhile, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) will head the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

And Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) is expected to remain as head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the 2014 election cycle.

{mosads}The New York lawmaker, who took over the fundraising operation for House Democrats in 2010, will retain his position alongside House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who said she planned to run again for the Democratic House leadership.

According to a House leadership aide, “Leader Pelosi told a packed caucus meeting, including the incoming members of the 113th Congress today that, if Steve Israel is willing to take on the DCCC again, then she will happily place her hat in for leader.”

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) was elected as head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, a position for which he ran unopposed.

Walden, who has served as NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions‘s (R-Texas) top deputy for the past two cycles, cited his experience in the position as preparation for his service as chairman, admitting he has “big, Texas-sized boots to fill.”

TOMORROW’S AGENDA TODAY: President Obama will travel to New York City to view damage from Superstorm Sandy. 

TWEET OF THE DAY: “New senators here. W/ 20 women we had our first-ever in U.S. history traffic jam in women senators’ restroom. #somerecordsmustbebroken” — Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) 

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “If Sen. McCain and Sen. Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me.” — President Obama, when asked about GOP criticism of United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice

2016 WATCH:

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said he hopes retiring Secretary of State Hillary Clinton runs for president in 2016. “I don’t see how you could have anybody better qualified,” the Berkshire Hathaway founder told CNN.

BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE:

CALIFORNIA: Democrat Scott Peters’s lead grew to 2,660 voters over GOP Rep. Brian Bilbray, further dimming Bilbray’s reelection hopes, according to the San Diego Free Press.

FLORIDA: Rep. Allen West’s (R-Fla.) campaign blasted Democrat Patrick Murphy for attending freshman orientation at the Capitol this week. Murphy declared victory over West in Florida’s 18th District last weekend and is participating in workshops for new members of Congress.

“I think it is premature of him,” Tim Edson, West’s campaign manager, said on a conference call Wednesday. “I understand he would like to move on and wrap this up, but for someone who claims to be certified public accountant, you would expect him to be a little more concerned about the shifting numbers and the inaccuracies of these numbers.”

And Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is echoing West’s call for a full recount of early ballots in his race, offering a rare show of support for a Republican lawmaker still locked in a yet-undecided race.

NORTH CAROLINA: Democratic incumbent Mike McIntyre and Republican David Rouzer should know the outcome their race by Friday, the Wilmington Star News reports.

SENATE SHOWDOWN:

MAINE: Independent Sen.-elect Angus King announced Wednesday that he will caucus with Senate Democrats.

MISSOURI: Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who defeated challenger Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), said she never believed the competition was a close one. “There was a media narrative in my race that sometimes was divorced from reality. I’m not sure the race was so close for so long,” she said.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

President Obama said he hopes to meet with Mitt Romney before the end of the year. “We haven’t scheduled something yet,” Obama said, adding that “everybody needs to catch their breath” after the election.

Romney said on a conference call with donors that Obama had won the 2012 presidential campaign because of “gifts” given by the administration to black, Hispanic and young voters.

Groups backing female candidates are grappling with a major concern heading into 2014: that the women’s issues they believe drove many voters to the polls this election cycle might not be as central in a midterm election.

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